The international patent application WO 00/66437 A1 relates to a method and an apparatus for applying a label sleeve on objects such as bottles and the like. A widening jaw unit with two widening jaws seizes the leading edge of the label sleeve and the label sleeve is slipped over the object in an axial direction. Before the slipping over the object is held fixed by a region of its outer surface in a form- or friction-locking way. At the initiation of the slipping over step the fixed hold on the outer surface is temporarily released. As soon as the widening jaw unit at least partially encompasses the object's outer surface, and not later than the desired position of the label sleeve on the object is reached, the object is seized again by a region of its outer surface which now is covered by a label. The label is held fixed in a slip-proof way while the widening jaw unit is pulled off.
The European patent 0 584 516 discloses an apparatus for applying sleeve-shaped labels on a plurality of bottles or other containers. The apparatus comprises a turn table with discs arranged equidistantly along a common arch for holding freestanding bottles. Above each disc a rolled supply of label sleeves, a device for separating label sleeves, and a pair of widening jaws, which can be raised and lowered, for seizing the separated label sleeves are provided. Each pair of widening jaws consists of an inner widening jaw for accommodating the label sleeve and an outer fixing element for fixing the label sleeve on the widening jaw. For slipping a label sleeve on a bottle the label sleeve is seized by the inner widening jaws and fixed by the outer fixing element. After slipping the label sleeve over the bottle first the fixing elements are released in order to then remove the inner widening jaws from the label sleeve.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,788 discloses an apparatus and a method for applying sleeves on packing containers. The sleeves are picked up by suction cups, which are arranged on an arm. For picking up the sleeve a vacuum is applied to the suction cups. The arm is positioned opposite a second arm, so that the sleeves can be opened after having been picked up. The opening is done by moving the arms apart. Subsequently the opened sleeve is slipped over the packing container by the two arms and positioned. In order to pass the sleeve to the packing container the vacuum supply of the suction cups is switched off, so that the sleeve is released.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,466 relates to a semi-automatic apparatus for applying sleeves to packing containers. The sleeves are inserted into a holding device manually, i.e. by an operator. In the holding device the sleeve is fixed by several thin metal fingers and widened by them. The packing container is fed to the apparatus with a conveyor. When the packing container is under the sleeve in the holding device, it is pushed into the sleeve from below by a lifting device. If the lifting device has reached a set height, the sleeve is released and thus applied on the container.